Want a classy at home date night for your loved one so you don’t have to deal with the stress of going out and forgetting reservations on Valentine’s day? Want an even easier dessert that you can whip up when you get home from work that will be ready in time to send the night off with some whipped cream on top? (He’ll never know you didn’t spend all day baking). Want a chance to win a cherry red Crock-Pot? Yeah, I thought so.

For my regulars, you know by now how much I love my slow cooker. I am featuring it every Monday in winter, after all. So when Crock-Pot wanted to send me a classy red version of their Cook and Carry, I figured why not share the love with my readers (get it, Valentine’s humor… no? Aw, come on). I love how easy the crock pot is to clean, and the snazzy lock in place lid that makes transport a breeze. Think of how easy bringing a hot dish to parties will be from now on? So, if you are just starting out, a new cook, or a cook who has not investing in the life changing product that is the slow cooker yet, Crock-Pot’s Cook and Carry is a nice starter slow cooker to ease your way into things. It comes very well packed and has a warm, low, and hot setting for various cooking needs. And with 6 quarts to fill you can even shove an entire small bird in the slow cooker for weeknight suppers! Seriously, I’m slow cooker obsessed this winter – and you should be too!

Slow Cooker Triple Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cake

from BHG Special Interest Slow Cooker Magazine

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 tbs cocoa powder

1 1/2 teas baking powder

1/2 cup chocolate milk

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 teas vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbs cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups boiling water

Preparation:

Grease the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray.

Whisk together the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tbs cocoa powder, baking powder, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and chips. It will be thick. Spread in an even layer in the crock pot.

Whisk the remaining sugar and cocoa powder into the boiling water. Carefully pour over the chocolate batter. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Turn off heat and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.

2 things I love in the slowcooker. Beans. I usually do black or pinto, with a whole onion, some garlic cloves, and a dried chile. Cook on low for 8 hrs while at work. I don’t soak them overnight, so I don’t always have to think ahead to do it. #2 – BBQ pork. yum!

A few years ago, my mom and I started making yogurt at home with a yogurt maker. After graduating college and moving further away, wanted homemade yogurt, but didn’t have the maker. Introduce the crock-pot – problem solved! I microwave my milk right in the crock, add dry milk and cultures, stick it in the oven wrapped in a towel and turn the oven light on. 8 hours later I have the same homemade yogurt that my mother and I made!

Like Cindy, I also think beans are GREAT in the slow cooker. I just finished some chickpeas (no soaking!) that I’ll use for hummus. Yummy!

This weekend I made an amazing lentil stew in the crockpot, it turned out phenomenally. The other one that is ridiculously easy that I like to do is four chicken breasts (boneless/skin less), one jar of salsa (your preference on heat), one can of corn (not drained, I use the no salt), and one can of black beans, cook in the crock pot for eight hours on low. This makes a dinner everyone can enjoy. But the brand new cherry red slow cooker would go perfectly in my kitchen and allow me to donate my existing one to a local women’s shelter – maybe filled with this cake!